He couldn't sing, dance, or tell jokes, but he was television's greatest impresario. He was a stone-faced puritan -- America's arbiter of status quo -- but had a sly sense of humor , and in the segregation-tainted 1950's, welcomed blacks to his stage, and in the 1960's showcased rock n' roll's most anti-establishment acts. His show, the longest-running variety show in history, ran from 1948 to 1971. [more inside]
posted by terranova on Feb 7, 2009 - 46 comments

Shaft was so cool that he had his own theme song. Shaft walked across the street whenever he wanted to. Shaft was a complicated man. But not all Blaxploitation heros were Private Dicks. They could be a Pimp, a Power-Hungry Criminal, a Coke Dealer, or a Male Prostitute. One was a Former Green Beret, one was a Bounty Hunter, and one was a Prize Fighter. Some were Foxy Ladies, such as Vigilante Nurses, US Special Agents, or Escaped Convicts. They might even be a Karate Master or a Vampire. [more inside]
posted by burnmp3s on May 24, 2008 - 23 comments

James Brown was known as the hardest working man in show business. Most people concentrate on his musical legacy while others see him as a central figure in the civil rights movement. And while there are many who view Mr. Brown as a "moral conscience for black people" those inside his his private world seem to have viewed him as a drug fueled maniac who grew up in a whore house and had little regard for women. via
posted by aburd on Apr 5, 2008 - 46 comments

James Brown ...just died
posted by hortense on Dec 25, 2006 - 284 comments

Australian news media as well as the AFP have reported that Secretary of State Colin Powell has unofficially appointed James Brown US Secretary of Soul and Foreign Minister of Funk.
posted by XQUZYPHYR on Dec 12, 2003 - 20 comments

The Periodic Table Of Funk. Starts with James Brown and ends with Bruce Lee's fist. Dy-no-mite!
posted by sigma7 on Apr 18, 2002 - 11 comments